Niger has ended a military agreement with the United States of America. They used to have an agreement that allowed US personnel to be deployed in the country.
Saturday’s announcement came in the week that a delegation from Washington had been in Niamey for talks with the country’s military leadership. The US used its base in Niger to monitor regional jihadist activity.
In 2023, the Junta kicked out French troops and got closer to Russia. The Junta has been in power since last year July.
Niger’s military spokesperson Col Amadou Abdramane on national television said: “The US presence on the territory of the Republic of Niger is illegal and violates all the constitutional and democratic rules which would require the sovereign people… to be consulted on the installation of a foreign army on its territory.”
He also alleged that the US delegation had accused Niger of making a secret deal to supply uranium to Iran. Col Abdramane described the accusation as “cynical” and “reminiscent of the second Iraq war”.
He suggested that the US had raised objections about the allies that Niger had chosen.
“The government of Niger therefore strongly denounces the condescending attitude combined with the threat of reprisals by the head of the American delegation against the government and the people of Niger,” he added.
According to reports, there are at least 650 US personnel in Niger.
The army in Niger overthrew the elected President, Mohamed Bazoum, last July citing the worsening security situation.
In the last three years, Africa witnessed seven coups.
